The subject of the present invention is new imidazoline derivatives with an original structure, exhibiting a very high affinity for the imidazoline receptors.
Such derivatives are quite obviously important in the treatment of cardiovascular diseases such as hypertension. Thus, clonidin, widely used for many years in the treatment of high blood pressure is known.
It is known the imidazoline receptors are involved in stimulating the liberation of insulin by the .beta. cells of the pancreas (Schutz et al., Naunyn-Schniedeberg's Arch. Pharmacol., (1989), 340 (6), 712-714).
The importance of ligands of the imidazoline receptors in the treatment of psychiatric and neurological disorders such as depression, Parkinsons's disease and anorexia has also been reported (D. J. Nutt et al., Annals New York Academy of Science, (1995), 125-139).
However, most of the imidazoline derivatives known so far have, besides their affinity for the imidazoline receptors, a high affinity for the adrenergic receptors which causes the appearance of strong cardiovascular effects.
The applicant has now discovered new derivatives with an imidazoline structure, potent ligands of the imidazoline receptors but lacking for the adrenergic receptors.
Accordingly, the compounds of the invention find a particularly important use in therapy for the treatment of pathologies linked to the imidazoline receptors by virtue of their high affinity for the receptors, while lacking side effects of central origin, because of their very low affinity for the adrenergic receptors. As a result, the derivatives of the invention are important in the treatment of cardiovascular diseases, of hypertension but also in the treatment of diabetic disease as well as in the treatment of psychiatric and neurological disorders such as depression, Parkinson's disease and anorexia which was not the case for the imidazolines known in the prior art.